Anything you can cook at home, you can cook while camping. It just takes having the right gear and skills to make it happen.
When it comes to camp cooking, the gear you need will depend on two things: what you want to cook, and the amenities that are available at your campsite and both will be covered in this guide. So, read on for tips on cooking outdoors, my camp kitchen gear list for cooking at a campground, a modified camp kitchen gear list for backcountry camping, and a minimal camp kitchen gear list for cooking over the fire.
Tips for Cooking Outdoors:
- Research your campground ahead of time — Not all campgrounds are the same so you will want to know the regulations, available amenities, and if there are any fire bans in effect.
- Prepare what you can ahead of time — Wash and chop veggies at home. Portion out the amount if each ingredient you need. Re-package and combine ingredients to minimize garbage and space.
- Pack it In, Pack it Out — Not all campgrounds have trash bins or running water. Be prepared to pack out all of your own trash. I always keep a few extra garbage bags in my car just in case!
- Proper Food and Trash Storage — Beware of wildlife! Put away all food and trash items before you tuck in for the night, especially in bear territory. Campgrounds in bear territory will usually have a bear locker available, but proper storage is important everywhere. While camping in the desert a mouse chewed through my food bag to feast on my oatmeal!
My Front-Country Camp Kitchen:
When you stay in the front-country (aka an established campground), you have the advantage of certain amenities like running water, a fire pit (sometimes a charcoal grill), and a picnic table. These amenities can make the packing and planning process much easier, and if you are newer to camping in general, this is where I suggest you start.
Gear Guide:
- Stove:Â Coleman: Cascade Classic Camp Stove
- I actually have a two burner stove from Eureka! but they went out of business. This Coleman one is a similar model.
- Fuel:Â Coleman All Purpose Propane Gas Cylinder – 16.4oz
- I learned that REI is starting to come out with refillable propane canisters that are the same size at the Coleman ones! I will likely be switching to those soon.
- Pan: Sea to Summit: Detour Stainless Steel Pan 10”
- Pot:Â Sea to Summit: Detour Stainless Steel Collapsible Pot (3L or 5L)
- Utensils:Â Sea to Summit: Detour Stainless Steel Utensil Set
- Cutlery Set:Â Sea to Summit: Detour Stainless Steel Cutlery Set (6 pieces)
- Plates/Bowls/Cups:Â Sea to Summit Detour Stainless Steel Collapsible Dinnerware Set (6 pieces)
JSYK: Sea to Summit is having a really awesome sale right now so if you have your eye on anything, or want to shop for holiday gifts I would recommend doing it now!
(Sea to Summit is 40% off Site-wide 11/16/25 to 12/1/25!)
Considerations for the backcountry
When it comes to cooking in the backcountry, there are a few extra things you will need to prepare for. Primitive and dispersed camping sites will have minimal or no amenities, so you will need to bring them for yourself.
The main things being water, a table and chairs, and a system for trash disposal.
- Table:Â Heavy Duty Roll Top Table
- Chairs:Â Bespoke Post Butterfly Camp Chair
- Water Storage:Â HydraPak 3L Seeker Collapsible Water Container
Cooking over the campfire:
When I’m feeling a little more rugged (or lazy, depending how you look at it), I like to cook my meals over the fire. Generally, I find that this takes a little less prep, planning, and gear. My favorite ways to cook over the fire are: in a cast iron skillet, using roasting sticks, or simply wrapping in tin foil. I’ve made sausage, hot dogs, veggie kebabs, apple crisp, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, baked potatoes, leftover pizza, and more over the fire and you can too!
- Pan:Â Lodge Cast Iron 10.25in Pan
- Sticks:Â Rolla Roaster Marshmallow and Hot Dog Roasting Forks – Pair
- Aluminum Foil — There are so many things you can cook over the fire by just wrapping it in aluminum foil: stuffed peppers, corn, baked potatoes, banana boats, apple crumble, etc. (Pinterest has endless inspo for this!)
A guide to Cooking for One:
Most gear guides out there are designed with multiple people in mind — from multi-person tents to extra dinnerware. This guide is designed with the solo adventurer in mind. The kind of camper who enjoys cooking up a gourmet meal out in the woods even if they’re the only one enjoying it.
Unless you live alone, you might not realize how tricky it can be to cook for one without making a bunch of leftovers, or ending up still hungry after your meal. Cooking just the right amount takes practice.
Some easy meals I enjoy cooking for myself:
- Quesadillas w/ Grillos Pickle de Gallo Salsa
- Mac n’ Cheese w/ hot sauce
- Ramen w/ peanut butter and hot sauce
- Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
- Veggie Italian Sausage with sautéed onion, and bell pepper
- Near East Couscous/Rice Pilaf
My Solo Camp Kitchen Gear List:
- Pan:Â Sea to Summit: Frontier Ultralight Pan
- Pot:Â Sea to Summit: Frontier Ultralight 2L Pot
- If you end up with any leftovers you can use this pot to save them until you get home! The handle can be reversed which keeps the lid in place
- Cutlery Set: Sea to Summit: Frontier Ultralight Cutlery Set – Long Handle Spoon & Spork
- How cool is this utensil set?! When I’m backpacking I’ll just take the spoon with me, but when I’m car camping I can attach both utensils to the connector and use them as tongs!
- Cups/Plates:Â Sea to Summit: Frontier Ultralight Collapsible Dinnerware Set (3 Piece)
- Like the Spoon and Spork Set, this set is also great for backpacking and car camping. It’s lightweight and compact for one person, and when I’m backpacking I like taking the cup for my morning coffee and sometimes I’ll take the bowl with me too.
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Thanks for reading to the end of the post, I appreciate you! Catch ya in the next one!
Happy trails!
Bee
Bee's Wild Life 